Traditionally, cables have been used to connect devices (e.g., desktop computers, printers, modems, and servers) to one another to form a network, such as a local area network (“LAN”). In a LAN, the networked devices are able to communicate with one another and to share information. If the LAN is connected to the Internet, the networked devices can access the internet as well.
With the advent of wireless technology, suitably enabled devices can connect to a LAN without physically connecting to the network, thereby forming a wireless LAN (“WLAN”). Here, each device is equipped with a wireless communication card or an embedded wireless communication module that allows the device to send and receive data transmissions to and from a “wireless access point.” The wireless access point is typically attached to the wired LAN and can include a router so that it also provides a gateway to the Internet.
Typically, in order to access data from a network (e.g., Internet) via the wireless access point, the device has to establish a connection (i.e., start a session) with the wireless access point. This typically involves a series of transmissions between the device and the wireless access point, commonly referred to as “handshaking.” After establishing a connection with the wireless access point, the device may then be able to access data, such as e-mail from an e-mail server, via the wireless access point.
Typically, wireless access points that are commercially available can communicate simultaneously with several devices (or clients) within a certain range. Within that range, the user of the client enjoys a full network connection, with the benefit of mobility. The wireless access point's range is typically a radius of approximately 45 m (indoors) to approximately 100 m (outdoors), but that can be affected by a number of factors, such as, for example, the location of the wireless access point, nearby obstructions, type of antenna, and power output of the wireless access point. Hence, the wireless access point's range is limited to a relatively small area.
Due to the wireless access point's limited range, drivers along a road, such as an interstate, may have a limited window of time (e.g., ten seconds) to access data within the wireless access point's range. That is, drivers along a road may have very limited time to locate the wireless access point, start a session with the wireless access point, which involves handshaking, and then access data via the wireless access point, such as acquiring e-mail from an e-mail server. In fact, based on the driver's speed, the driver may not even have time to locate the wireless access point, let alone establish a session with the wireless access point. If, however, the location of upcoming wireless access points were known, then the amount of data that can be accessed via the wireless access point may be maximized given the limited window of opportunity to access data.